white eyes
by Neku the Last Reaper
Summary: The prequel to Moon Child. How did Ariella come to be? How did Angeal and Genesis meet Sephiroth and become such legends? All will be answered here.
1. Vanilla

**A/N This is the prequel to Moon Child, like all stories I try and update when I can. Which is when I can, no sooner, no later. **

Disclaimer – I do not own Final Fantasy VII, the Compilation, or any music that may be used in here.

"With hot looks like an ecologist, those burning kisses are irritating… How does that sound so far?" A young boy asked, his straight white teeth chewing at the cap of his ballpoint pen. His auburn hair falling into his face masking one of his startling blue for a moment before he shoved it out of his face. Despite his appearance, he was actually going to be sixteen in the summer. However he had to conquer the spring first before that happened.

"Hmm, sounds good so far G, try it out," his companion replied.

"You got it Darcia babe," the one called G leaned forward and kissed the girl's cheek. He leaned back and grabbed both the paper he had been scratching on and his prized guitar and plucked out a few notes.

"You're an honest moralist

You trace me with your pretty finger

I'm a pure terrorist

Your thoughts are rising like a revolution

A specialist bound by romance

You used your long fingernails on me

An egoist who wants to confirm love

I want to struggle on until I'm inside of you

You keep yourself at a distance

Ah before I lose myself

Is it okay to love, too? In the shaking night

It's good as it is… more… deeper

As those almost maddening lips I've gotten used to melt together

I am...your...vanilla

"...You're too affected"

You're cool like plastic

With hot looks like an ecologist…" He sang out for a while before looking over at Darcia, "how does it sound?"

"Sounds great G," she giggled and leaned forward kissing him.

"Hey Genesis! You hear man?" Another young man came down the road; he pinched his forehead and pushed his bangs up out of his face.

Genesis looked up, "Angeal… what?" He watched Angeal's appeared in his field of view from his compromising place under Darcia, finding a gap in her curtain of raven hair.

"Just wondering where you got off to buddy, here," he dropped something by Genesis's head, Genesis turned spotting a Banora White, also affectionately called Stupid Apples. He smirked, "you get these from the farmer?"

"Nah, your dad was generous to give them to me when I offered to go look for you two, he's been looking for you all day," Angeal replied gazing at Genesis as Darcia climbed off of him.

Genesis sat up holding his apple before taking a bite and then kissing Darcia sliding a bit of the apple into her mouth. "So is it good?"

She smiled at him, her grey blue eyes meeting his sky blue ones laughing at him, "not as sweet as you are."

He smirked and rolled his head back to get a look at Angeal, "so what'd the old man want?"

"You need to get some paperwork filled out and then you need to pack up," Angeal replied, "You were out here singing weren't you?" He noticed the guitar with the page of lyrics slid up under some of the strings.

"Not you too Angy, I thought you liked my singing, don't tell me you're hating me for it too." Everyone else in the town resented Genesis for his talents of creativity but he didn't mind so long as Darcia and Angeal supported him.

"Nah I love it when you sing, someday you're going to make a load of cash for it too," Angeal laughed jabbing Genesis in the arm.

Genesis laughed grabbing his guitar, "you wanna hear Angy?"

"Sure why not?" Angeal grinned at his best friend.

Genesis sang the song he had done earlier as far as he'd written it before watching Angeal curiously, "so what'd ya think?"

"I think you need either a better rhyme scheme or…" Angeal trailed off for a moment.

Genesis sighed, Angeal never pulled any punches if he thought it would help someone, "or what?"

"I have an idea, try it in Wutainese," Angeal suggested.

Genesis raised an eyebrow for a moment before picking up his pen and scribbling some Wutainese lettering next to each line. "Alright well here goes nothing…" he sighed picking up his guitar.

"Kimi wa seijitsu na moralist

Kirei na yubi de boku wo nazoru

Boku wa junsui na terrorist

Kimi no omou ga mama ni kakumei ga okiru

Koi ni shibarareta specialist

Nagai tsume wo taterareta boku

Ai wo tashikametai egoist

Kimi no oku made tadoritsukitai

Kimi no kao ga toozakaru

Ah boku ga boku de naku naru mae ni

Ai shitemo ii kai? yureru yoru ni

Aru ga mama de ii yo motto fukaku

Kuruoshii kurai ni nareta kuchibiru ga toke au hodo ni

Boku wa...kimi no...vanilla

...Nante kidorisugi

Sonna cool na kimi wa plastic

Atsui manazashi ni wa ecologist…" He had forgotten how to say a few of the words in Wutainese but it wasn't bothering him much.

Angeal nodded in an approving manner, "much better, I think you should do it for all your songs."

Genesis nodded standing up and pulling Darcia to her feet. "I may do that Angy, what'd you think my sweet?"

"Sounded better in Wutainese," she giggled kissing him. Genesis stooped snatching up his guitar and lyrics before reclaiming a hold on Darcia's hand as they walked away.

Angeal watched them for a moment when a rustling in the trees behind him caught his attention. He whirled around spotting some lions passing through the field; he smiled slightly as they disappeared into the trees. He looked back towards the road through the trees leading into town. He walked forward and headed back into town. Genesis and Darcia continued across the street towards Darcia's house while Angeal wandered down the road towards his own home in town.

He pulled out a house key and unlocked the door walking in, "Mom, I'm home!"

"Ah Angeal welcome home," a lady stood up, a few flecks of gray peppering her dark brown hair. She made her way over to Angeal and hugged him, "it's good to see you son."

Angeal reached down and hugged his mother, Gillian Hewley, "I was only gone for a few hours, and I barely left the outskirts of town."

"I know but in by this time tomorrow you'll be off to become a SOLDIER and I'll be sad to lose my little boy," she replied hugging him tightly.

Angeal sighed, "I promised I would come back and visit you."

She smiled holding him tenderly, "I know… but it's in a mother's nature to worry about her child."

He sighed and let her go putting his hands on her shoulders, "I'll be back once I make SOLDIER, I promise."

She sighed, "I know but I still worry about you…"

"Aww no worries Mom, I'll be just fine," he smiled at her.

"I know but it won't stop me worrying," she sighed again, "Come on let's get some dinner."

Angeal nodded and looked out the window seeing a light on at Darcia's house coming from her room; he wondered what Genesis could be up to. Dinner passed swiftly before Angeal went to bed, they would be leaving to go to the docks for the boat tomorrow morning. He climbed into his pajamas and looked across the street to her house again, it was still light on in there. But he'd always had excellent hearing and he pulled the pillow over his head and rolled over. What he was hearing was making him blush furiously red and it was also making him distinctly uncomfortable. He let go of his pillow with one hand and reached over to his moogle doll Kupo and hugged it tightly. He started to force himself go to sleep despite the racket, at this rate Genesis and Darcia would wake up the whole town. Finally after what felt like forever Angeal had just started to drift off when a gust of wind woke him up.

"Wha!" He bolted up and out of bed looking at the window.

Sitting on the ledge was Genesis, wearing boxers and his red coat thrown over his otherwise bare body. "Hey Angy…"

"Ge-Genesis… you scared the shit out of me," Angeal panted staring at his best friend.

"Sorry man," he put his hand behind his head and scratched shifting his guitar around on his back, "hey listen can I crash here for the night and bum some breakfast out of your mom?"

Angeal nodded, "sure, but what're you doing here? I thought you were…" he flushed and trailed off.

"Well I was but just when we finished I told Darcia I was still serious that I would join SOLDIER… and she kinda threw me out cold shoulder… I couldn't go back to my folks place because then they would just get all pissed off, so I figured I'd crash with you," Genesis commented already setting his guitar by Angeal's bed and laying down. "Oh and Angy be a dear and close that window, the room's freezing."

Angeal grudgingly shut the window, he then pulled Genesis off of the bed, "fine but I get my own bed." He fumed over to the closet and pulled out some blankets and pillows tossing them over to Genesis. He climbed back into bed and started to drift off.

"Hey Angeal?" Genesis commented.

"What?" Angeal grunted.

"Good night," Genesis wished.

"Good night G." Angeal rolled over to get some sleep.

"Oh Angy, could you get me a glass of water?" Genesis asked hopefully.

"No either get it yourself or shut up and deal with it," Angeal growled annoyed before ignoring Genesis until he fell asleep.


	2. On My Way

Disclaimer: I don't own anything.

**A/N The long awaited chapter two! I threw in a couple of references to some people who should be well known to Ninja Warrior fans.**

Angeal yawned as he woke up the next morning, he rolled over to turn off his alarm clock when, "Gaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhh! Genesis!" He saw Genesis cuddled up next to him in bed, he sat up startled glaring at his friend.

"Five more minutes Angy…" Genesis muttered pulling Angeal back down and hugging him.

"Genesis wake up!" Angeal roared shaking Genesis off.

"Ah Angy good morning," Genesis yawned lazily. "Time for breakfast so soon?"

"No now let go of me and wake up before I break your neck you bastard! What the hell are you doing in my bed anyway?" Angeal shook Genesis out of his pre-dawn stupor.

Genesis yawned again rolling over and falling asleep despite his friend's efforts, Angeal shook his head getting out of bed to take a shower. He wandered in and cleaned up before wrapping a towel around his waist staring at his reflection in the mirror. He rubbed his chin for a moment back at his age-old debate of whether or not to start getting in a beard. Sighing he put on some shaving cream before removing the stubble quietly. When he finished shaving along with all his other activities he crept back into his room greeted by some snoring and Genesis claiming most of the bed.

He sighed walking over to his closet pulling on his most comfortable shirt and boxers pulling on a pair of faded blue jeans over them. He checked his packed luggage sitting neatly by the door for a moment as Genesis's snoring became louder. Angeal's eyelid twitched as he snatched up a pillow chucking it at Genesis. "Wake up you lazy bum!"

"Ack! Shiva I'm up already!" Genesis snarled sitting up.

Angeal growled for a moment, "if your so ready grab your shit and leave so you can get ready to head out." He grabbed his bags and headed downstairs not waiting for an answer. He put his stuff by the front door stepping into the kitchen, it was still early for his mother to be up, he figured the last thing he would do would be to make her work, so he decided to cook some breakfast. By the time Genesis staggered out of bed wearing some of Angeal's clothes, Angeal had set out breakfast on the table and was partaking of some reading.

Genesis growled something grabbing a piece of toast slathering it in the grape jelly before biting it as he set a piece of paper down scratching it with a pencil. "Dammit…" he growled again shoving the rest of the toast in his mouth writing furiously. He stopped staring at the paper for a moment, folded it up, and shoved it in his pocket.

"Now that that's done I'm ready to get out and see the world," he declared yawning.

"Are you packed yet G?" Angeal asked as Genesis was heading to the front door.

There was a long silence from the door.

"You're not packed are you," Angeal commented quite casually starting into his hash browns.

More silence filled the air between them.

"Run on home and pack, you're bound to forget something," he sighed letting Genesis hastily exit the house heading for his own home up on the hill.

A few minutes passed silently until Gillian came down the stairs quietly, "good morning Angeal." She let a small smile cross her face as she walked over to the table and sat down.

"Good morning Mother," Angeal replied politely grinning at her.

"Today is the day isn't it?" She watched him for a few moments; "I think your father would be proud of you if he could see the fine young man you've become."

Angeal smiled at her, glancing at the picture behind her on the wall, it was one of the few photos he had of his father. "I don't know, he never spoke to highly of Shin-Ra," he shrugged pondering, come to think of it neither had he mother until shortly before he decided to become a SOLDIER. But for the moment it didn't bother him in the least.

"Well I know your father would support you no matter what you chose to do with life," Gillian glanced behind her at the picture for a moment then at Angeal. She smiled at him for a moment before partaking of the spread of food he'd laid out. "You should eat, you have a long trip ahead of you."

He sighed, "I know but my stomach's so nervous that I can't think of eating right now."

She gently put some food on his plate, "eat, at the very least it will make your stomach have an easier time if you get sick."

He quietly picked up a fork poking at his food eating a little bit here and there. When he started to eat though he found he had managed to clear his plate despite his nerves. Shaking his head slightly he picked up his plate setting it in the sink to clean it. He scrubbed it down; the silence of the room putting him on edge a little, his mother had started to eat so she wouldn't be keen to talk for a while. He sat down at the table patiently waiting for her to finish. After she did he picked up her plate and cleaned it along with putting the other dishes in the sink cleaning them silently.

After a long silence he headed over to the door pulling on his shoes, his mother walked over and hugged his head, "I'm going to miss you a lot."

"I know but I'll write you a lot and maybe they'll put in some phone lines out here so I can call you," he replied as he hugged her back.

She sobbed quietly for a moment as they stood up, Angeal grabbed his luggage and smiled as he opened the door, "I'll also visit when I can too, so don't worry. Besides Genesis will be with me. What could possibly go wrong?"

Gillian let out a laugh as Angeal left through the front door heading to where Genesis stood silhouetted against the dawning sun, a backpack and a guitar case jutting up from their spots on his back. He smiled as he waved over his shoulder at his mother. Gillian watched as Angeal and Genesis bashed forearms for a moment taking one last look at the town before disappearing into the rising sun.

The pair followed the winding road out of the city, "hey Angy are we there yet?"

"No," Angeal replied flatly.

"Are we there yet?"

"No."

"Are we there yet?"

"No."

"Are we there yet?"

He knew Genesis was doing this for two reasons, one it was a way to kill time, and the other was because it pissed Angeal off. "No! And ask me again and I'm kicking your ass!"

"Are we there yet?"

"Damn you," Angeal took a swing at Genesis only to find himself tripping over a stubborn tree root.

Genesis let out a raucous laugh, "you shoulda seen your face Angy! You looked so brilliant!"

Angeal silently stood up and brushed himself off continuing on their journey in silence. However by the time they reached the small fishing village of Konpira, where they used to travel on weekends, the pair had returned to chatting animatedly. They wandered down to the docks when someone called out to them, "Angeal! Genesis!"

They looked up to see a young man, sun tanned in a black tank top waving at them, the sun hitting his brownish black hair, "hey Takeda!"

"So where are you two off to this fine morning?" He asked grabbing one of the ropes hanging on by one hand steadying his body with a foot.

Genesis smirked, "we're off to become SOLDIERs."

Takeda laughed, "Well just remember, if you can be one with the sea you can be one with the sword. Now how about some lunch? My treat."

Angeal nodded as Takeda leaped off of the boat onto the dock, the three made their way up to a local restaurant on the beach. Soon they started into a platter of cold oysters chatting about the pair of SOLDIER hopeful's time working with Takeda on his boat last summer. Genesis grimaced as Angeal recalled the time he had gotten seasick on the first day, but countered with the time Angeal got his nose in the claws of a very angry crab. Takeda laughed and started to talk about the fishing this season, when he finished they had just started to order a second platter when, "Attention, Shin-Ra Transport 0238 will be departing for Conrisa Bay in ten minutes, all passengers should have their tickets ready."

Takeda watched as Angeal and Genesis scrambled around, "go, I'll pick up the tab. Good luck you two!"

Angeal waved, "alright then! We'll pay you back when we get back!"

"See you later!" Takeda called as they ran over to the dock with the Shin-Ra cruiser docked in it, he tracked their progress onto the ship before taking a sip of his lemonade, "I hope their luck holds out. I forgot to mention today's conditions were rough and a hurricane was brewing south of the Wutai archapelego. So the winds between here and Conrisa should be miserable."

Angeal and Genesis panted as they walked through the confining corridors of the ship to their cabin, it was a two-day sail to Conrisa Bay. They dropped their stuff off in the cabin, Genesis checked his guitar in the air-conditioned room, and sea air would be bad for the electronics. "Well it looks like there's no turning back now."

"Nope, so what now?"

"We go check in and I have a song to finish writing."

Angeal sighed as he keeled over onto his bed, "urg… I feel exhausted."

"Angy you're pathetic, now get your ass up and let's go check in."

Within five minutes they had left the cabin and registered on the ship, Genesis sat on a deck chair with his crumpled piece of paper continuing to write. He would occasionally grumble if he didn't like what he thought of, but otherwise he kept to himself. Angeal on the other hand had his camera out and was photographing the sea life and birds. Genesis watched him for a moment before returning to his work, leaving Angeal to his 'memory making'. He'd once asked Angeal why he took so many pictures of things; Angeal said it was because he never wanted to forget anything ever again. When they were younger they had been stealing Stupid Apples from the local farmers and Angeal had received a concussion. He had a gap in his memories for about a year, it was during that time Genesis had sought comfort with Darcia and her family. The brown haired teen looked up at the birds, "shit…" and he meant it too, one of them had just defecated, he watched the white glob fall and land on him, missing his lyrics sheet by inches. "Fuck you!" He stood up fuming.

Angeal glanced back as he watched Genesis storming away, wiping what looked like bird droppings off of his pants. He sighed and stayed out on the deck, he needed to get his film into a darkroom; there were probably several specialty shops in Midgar he could visit when he got some time off. He watched some dolphins playing in the water, "having fun aren't you… well good luck on your travels." He wished them as he walked back inside to the cabin putting his camera away climbing into bed and reading until he fell asleep.


	3. Highway to Hell

Disclaimer: I haven't owned it, and it's somewhat doubtful I ever will.

--

Angeal woke up the next morning feeling refreshed however something warm around his abdomen caught his attention. He twisted his neck around discovering once again, "Odin dammit G! Get the hell out of my bed!" Genesis stroked Angeal's stomach lightly, Angeal shivered as Genesis's hand trailed lower, "G wake up!" He stopped his friend's hand as he rolled over shaking the slack arm. He felt the muscles in the thinner arm tense and released it only to find Genesis roll over. He shook his head wondering vaguely why his friend kept climbing into bed with him, shaking his head he climbed over the sleeping older boy out of the bed. He stepped into the tiny bathroom washing off his face; he stepped out again not bothering to shave.

He yawned stepping out of the room, deciding that if Genesis wanted to sleep in then it wouldn't be that big of a deal. He slipped through the corridors arriving at the deck of the ship. He reached into his pocket pulling out a notebook and pen; he wandered over to a small chair sitting down. Uncapping the pen he looked up at the pre-dawn sky thinking for a while about what to say.

_Dear Mom,_

_I hope this letter finds you in good health; this is my first letter to you from off of the island so I'm not entirely sure what to say. It probably won't reach you until I get to Midgar but I hope it gets home safely. Anyway, the trip so far has been rather uneventful; I've been watching some dolphins following the boat. However I haven't seen them today, according to Takeda there might be a storm if they haven't shown up after sunrise. Genesis has been a pain, and to think he's the older one… isn't he supposed to be responsible one? He hasn't said a word about his breakup with Darcia since we left, in fact he hasn't said much at all. I wonder if he's doing okay. Anyway I hope you write back soon. I love you._

_Sincerely,_

_Angeal Hewley_

He sighed closing the notebook glancing up at the sky, "well it looks like Takeda was right, no dolphins but plenty of storm clouds." He blinked through the flecks of water dripping into his face, "G's not going to be too happy about this." He shrugged walking back into the inner workings of the ship desperate for some breakfast. He wandered into the galley finding Genesis sitting there with a full plate of food.

"Morning Angy," Genesis waved patting the empty chair next to him. Angeal took it as Genesis pulled a plate full of food. "So how'd you sleep last night?"

_I'd do a lot better if I didn't keep waking up to…_ he sighed deciding to lay off telling his best friend off. "Fine, you?"

"Like a rock, so then what's the plan for today?"

"We're staying inside, there's some serious winds picking up, I think we may be running on the leading edge of a hurricane."

"Lovely…"

"Think of it this way, at least this we can make things interesting."

The pair of boys laughed for a moment as they continued to eat breakfast. After breakfast though, the ship started to pitch about violently, Genesis clamped a hand over his mouth, followed quickly by Angeal, they ran back to the room shoving each other out of the way trying to get to the toilet first. Angeal squeaked into the room just ahead of his friend slamming the door behind him. He leaned over the toilet losing his breakfast for a few minutes, he wiped his mouth off before stepping out, and Genesis having claimed the trash can for his needs. He sighed, "How do you feel G?"

The only response he got was, "I feel…" before Genesis threw up again.

Angeal sighed lying down on his bed, he didn't feel like anything right now other than sleep and a trash can nearby for his stomach. He closed his eyes trying to fall asleep.

"_Angy!" A youthful voice called out to me. "I gotta plan for our science fair project!"_

"_What?" I asked as Genesis came running up to me._

"_We're gonna get a buncha apples. Then we're gonna make Stupid Apple juice!" He grinned grabbing my arm pulling me down the road._

_I had no choice but to follow him, "but how are we supposed to get the apples? We have no money!" Ordinarily I'm sure his father would have supplied us with apples but he had the best in town and we were going to need a lot of apples._

"_The geezer of course!" He laughed as we ran for a small farm on the outskirts of town. Both of us scrambled over the fence, Genesis climbed up the nearest tree tossing me a couple of bags, "here get as many as you can carry in these."_

_I nodded carrying the bags up into the next tree, crawling out onto one of the branches I gathered up the apples until I could barely lift the bags up. I climbed down following Genesis back over the fence; he led me up to our secret fort, an old shack on the edge of town near the geezer's house. We dumped the apples in the shed before making several more passes, on the fifth pass however, "what are you kids doing?!"_

_Genesis smirked, "Angy, escape plan fifty two! I'll meet you back at base!"_

_I nodded and leaped out of the tree, we climbed the fence hearing shotgun slugs flying into the air past us, and we detoured into the forest before returning to our base. "You… are… an… idiot…" I panted._

"_Aww come on Angy…"_

"Hey Angy, Angy, Angy!" Someone shook the sleeping youth awake, "wake up! We've reached Conrisa!"

"Huh?" Angeal sat up rubbing his eyes.

"Come on, we gotta go!" Genesis shook him.

"Dammit G! I'm up already!" He shouted shoving his friend off.

Soon the pair had gathered their things and disembarked from the ship heading for the outskirts of town. The port bustled past them, fishing boats and buyers scuttled past them as they meandered through the town. Fish markets had their latest wares on display while eager chefs checked over the foods. Angeal walked over to the nearest post office, "give me a minute G."

"Oh sure take your time," he replied, the sarcasm coating his voice.

Angeal rolled his eyes entering the post office, he pulled out his letter, stamped and enveloped, he walked over to the scale, his final letter included a small amount of Sea Hawk feathers, his mother liked to collect bird feathers so he figured these would be a suitable 'I owe you' until he could get his film developed. After weighing the envelope he slid it into the mail slot, he heard the faint thud as the envelope joined the others before turning and exiting the building.

Outside Genesis stood leaning against an ornate gas lamp licking off a bar of sea salt ice cream. He offered up one to Angeal as he approached, "Here, this is for you."

Angeal smiled accepting the ice cream starting to eat it when the rather indelicate sounds of a helicopter touching down further along the street outside of town. The boys noticed the Shin-Ra logo on it realizing this was their ride. Both of them grabbed their paraphernalia sprinting over to it managing to keep a grip on the ice cream.

Out of it stepped a young man with brown hair and eyes, most of it was slicked back except for a stubborn lock determined to hang over his face. He was accompanied by a lady with long blond hair, contrasted by streaks of silver running through, both wore blue suits with a small Shin-Ra insignia pin on the left hand side of their lapels. The man stepped forward, "Director, these two are the candidates."

The lady walked around them for a moment, "excellent job Verdot. You two!" She barked, Genesis and Angeal straightened up, "what are your names?"

"Angeal Hewley ma'am!"

"Genesis Rhapsodos ma'am!"

"Certainly are a jumpy pair, Verdot get them into the helicopter, we need to take them back to Kalm."

"Yes ma'am!" Verdot bowed hastily assisting the two SOLDIER recruits into the helicopter, "so how have you two been?" He asked as they strapped into the seats.

"Fine and you?" Angeal asked.

"Just fine," Verdot smiled. He'd been the one sent down to Mideel and Banora on a SOLDIER scouting mission and had first spotted the boys. He was from the Mideelen area and knew what to look for, "so then are you all set to go?"

"Yes sir!" They announced brightly.

"Alright then, I'll let the Director know we're clear for takeoff," he smiled again heading to the cockpit and settling in.

A moment later the rotor roared to life and they lifted up into the air, Angeal and Genesis watched the small fishing village disappear as they flew towards Kalm and SOLDIER. A few minutes later a familiar band came on, Angeal and Genesis smiled at one another, "ACDC!" They laughed as they helicopter passed over the mountains of the coast, the funny part was it was their favorite song 'Highway to Hell.'

Xxxxxxxxxx

Gillian smiled as she read the letter that had just arrived in the mail, it was from Angeal, she read it several times before setting it on the table and smiling over at the Buster Sword underneath a picture of her late husband. "You would be proud of him." She checked the clock hanging on the wall in the shape of a chocobo, "well I best be off, I would hate to miss the wedding." She stood up putting on her sun hat and grabbing her wedding gift, she opened the door to her home, closed it locking it securely before setting off down the street calmly. Her destination was a large grove of Banora White apple trees, a small area had been erected including seating and the tent for the after party, she smiled seeing Jacob, unruly tide of hair straightened and gelled into place. She set her present in amongst the others and sat down next to her friend, Cynthia Rhapsodos.

"Isn't this just marvelous?" Cynthia asked brightly.

"Yes it is," Gillian replied smiling.

The music started as Darcia in a flowing white gown stepped slowly down the aisle, she looked a little embarrassed as they continued along down the aisle.

"We are gathered here to honor the marriage of Jacob Morgan and Darcia Valentine in holy matrimony. Do you Jacob take Darcia to be your wife?" Asked an elderly man leaning on a sage's staff.

He smiles placing a tiny silver band with a glowing yellow stone in it on Darcia's finger, "I do."

"And do you Darcia take Jacob to be your husband?"

She reciprocated the action, "I do."

"Now by the blessing of the Goddess and the Nine Guardians, I bid you safe passage on your new life together, you may now kiss the bride."

Jacob wrapped his arms around Darcia swinging her around and kissing her on the lips, a tumult of applause rose from the crowd. Gillian smiled as they turned around, "I now have the honor of presenting Mr. and Mrs. Morgan!" The elder announced.

--

A/N: Wow… haven't updated this in ages… I've had writer's block but hopefully this will start to roll off a bit more. Please forgive me! Anyway I hope everyone enjoys the little plot twist I threw in there at the end! I figure that I will be posting bits and pieces of significant events in Banora and Wutai (later on). If an event in the Angeal & Genesis timeline crosses over with it or it needs to happen then I'll throw it in.


	4. Eye of the Tiger

Disclaimer: I own nothing

A/N The long awaited chapter 4! My inspiration is slowly returning so I'll be working on this a bit more voraciously when I can.

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It was a week since Angeal and Genesis had left the small town of Banora and taken their trip to go to Kalm. It had been a flight overnight on the helicopter. They had arrived on the fourth day of their trip and had spent most of it lounging around waiting for paperwork to be filled out by the Turks.

Today was the physical examination of their trip, day six currently. Angeal sat in a pair of striped shorts with his shirt nicely tucked into his shorts. He sat in the splits leaned over his right leg. "One, two, three, four, five…"

"ah ikutsu asa o mukaereba

ah yoru wa owaru no darou ka

ah sora ni chiribamerareta

ah shiroi hana ni kakomarete yuku…"

"G, don't you think you should be getting warmed up?" Angeal shouted as he spotted his friend, guitar in hand, singing while he leaned against a tree.

"I am warming up. There's a sexy silver haired chick over here, and I swear to Shiva she's a hot one." Genesis noted the lone figure over by another tree across the field. The figure stood about the same height as both boys; pale silver hair graced both sides of the person's chin. What alarmed Angeal slightly was the pair of jade green eyes with a pupil like a cat's. The eyes slowly met his for a moment. Angeal swore he saw something in them that made his heart want to shatter into pieces.

He shook his head, he watched the person for a moment, "um G, that's a guy."

"Mmm," Genesis' tongue shot out and licked his lips for a moment. Angeal frowned as he saw the same look that he'd seen the first time they'd met Darcia. Which meant that his friend wanted in the silver haired youth's heart and probably his pants too.

Genesis set down his guitar for a moment and swaggered over to the boy. "I couldn't help but notice you standing over here alone, my name is Genesis, and you are?" He offered up a hand only to be thrown down to the ground. Angeal stood up and ran over to Genesis, "what the fuck is your problem?!" The indignant singer snapped.

"Well excuse me for being a freak!"

"Wait I never said that!"

"You were thinking it!"

Angeal stepped between them, "guys stop this!"

The silver haired pushed past him, "you're not the boss of me."

Genesis glanced over at the crowd, "well if it's a show they want then it's a show they'll get."

Angeal stepped between them, "stand down. Now!"

"I don't recall asking you to come over here," Genesis muttered. "This guy's itching for a scrap."

"Back off," Angeal glared daggers at his friend. "You'll have to forgive my friend. My name's Angeal Hewley," he offered up a hand to the other boy.

The silver haired boy turned and started to walk away. He stopped a few feet away, "Sephiroth," he muttered before continuing on.

Angeal's body relaxed, Sephiroth was just a little shy. He smiled at the retreating figure. Until a hand started to wave in front of his face, "hey Angy. Angy! Gaia to Angy! Come in Angy!"

"Huh?" Angeal blinked as Genesis waved a hand in front of his face.

"Geez, you should sign up for the rocket program. You're a helluva a space cadet," Genesis replied.

Angeal shoved his friend, "gee thanks." He glanced around at the instructors that had started to assemble. All of them wore SOLDIER uniforms, mostly black First Class uniforms with a few purple Second Class uniforms. He glanced at one of the new recruits. "Hey who're all these instructors?"

The girl smiled, "well the few I know are Lieutenant Wallace, the one over there." She pointed to a man in a First Class uniform. "The other one is Major Kat," she pointed to a pink haired lady chatting with Lt. Wallace. "She's supposed to be the best instructor but the weird part is she's never passed anyone to join SOLDIER. They say that everyone who gets placed under her either dies a horrific, bloody death or goes home with such emotional trauma they never leave their room again. My second cousin three times removed on my mother's side once met someone in Third Class. And he says that one kid in his group was trampled to death by chocobos because he couldn't clean out the stable. Another one spilled coffee all over her paperwork and she locked him in with the rats in the brig. She forgot he was there and he escaped six months later to join up with a colony of mice. No one's seen him since. They call her the Angelic Demon Commander."

Angeal and Genesis swallowed as they eyed the pink haired First Class again. "Shit…" they both muttered as she spotted them.

"Alright you worthless sacks of lard line up!" She snapped. Angeal, Genesis and their informant sprang into line. The younger boy noticed Sephiroth on his other side. Before he could open his mouth to speak, though, Major Kat had started to bark out instructions. "You will assemble swiftly and silently when called to order. If I hear any talking then you will be punished. Today is your physical exam. The course is designed to test everything from situational awareness to physical strength." She glared at the assembly. Her amber eyes scanned the faces of the group.

Angeal instinctively swallowed and shrank down. Unfortunately this meant that Genesis had a clear line of sight with Sephiroth. Genesis glared at Sephiroth, who reciprocated coldly.

"You're race begins," she glanced at her watch. "Now!" She barked and sounded an air horn.

After cringing from pain, Angeal took off at a sprint. Though this wasn't enough to get him an early lead, as Sephiroth and Genesis took off at such a fast pace that Angeal felt embarrassed that he knew either of them. Nevertheless he continued on keeping up a good pace and leading the main pack. Soon they thinned out to where Angeal and another young man by the name of Alexander Niven. "So where're you from?" Angeal asked curiously as they entered into the wooded area of the course.

"I'm from the Junon area," he replied as they vaulted over a wall. "You?"

"Small town called Banora," he replied.

A short way on, Niven tripped, "oww…" he muttered as he heard something break. Angeal stopped and turned to face Niven.

"Are you okay?" He asked as he knelt down next to his new friend.

"Yes, but I think I broke something," he managed, tears stung at his eyes.

Angeal threw one of Niven's arms over his shoulder and carried him over to lean on a tree. "One of the proctors is sure to be following the group. So for now I'll wait with you."

"No, I'll be fine," he smiled at Angeal. "Go on ahead."

Angeal's brows furrowed but he nodded and took off again. He'd left Niven just five minutes but he and his friend had lost the path and pack. He came to a small fork in the path. Off to his right he could hear Genesis and Sephiroth in an argument.

"Goddess you're a bastard!" Genesis snapped.

"And you're one to talk?!" Sephiroth muttered back.

Angeal smiled slightly and turned to follow the right path, unaware that the course marker twenty feet away followed the left path. He jogged along to find Sephiroth and Genesis just up ahead of him, he followed along. "G, Sephiroth wait up!" He shouted as he ran towards them.

"Oh hello Angeal," Sephiroth muttered as he glanced back. Genesis seized the moment and sprinted ahead. Only to find a rock shortly ahead that disagreed with this notion. He fell on his face, blood dripped from his nose. "Oww…." He grumbled.

Sephiroth and Angeal walked over to him, the silver haired boy's eyes narrowed and he started to walk away. Angeal reached up and put a hand on his shoulder, "wait! Help me get him up."

"Why should I?" Sephiroth barked coldly.

"Because those who break the rules are scum, but those who don't help their friends are even lower than that." Angeal retorted.

Sephiroth's brows furrowed then his expression changed to that of wonder as he put Genesis' left arm over his shoulders while Angeal picked up his friend. "You okay G?"

"Just peachy," the amber haired boy grunted as one hand pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Well we'll walk with you until you're ready to run again," Angeal smiled and clapped his friend's back lightly.

"We?" Sephiroth questioned.

Angeal nodded, "yes we, you're our friend Seph."

He stayed silent as they started into an easy jog towards the finish line. Sephiroth crossed first followed by Angeal, supporting Genesis. Angeal noticed Niven a short ways off with bandages wrapped around his leg in a doze under a tree. He turned to Sephiroth and smiled, Sephiroth's face flushed for a minute and he hastily averted his eyes.

"Excellent work boys," Lieutenant Wallace congratulated. "Go get a breather strip Rhapsodos, once you do that you boys can go back to your assigned cabins. Tomorrow you'll report to the Training Hall for squad assignments."

Sephiroth and Angeal saluted, "yes sir." Together they carried Genesis towards the main compound.


	5. Citizen SOLDIER

Disclaimer: I own nothing

A/N OMG I actually posted two chapters now! I'm kinda proud of myself. This chapters kinda a long one. My longest in ages. I suppose I could have left the ending off, but it needs to go here otherwise then it doesn't set up later things… Arg… I blame Mutti for this…

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Angeal yawned as he woke up in his dormitory. He glanced at the illuminated clock on the dresser. He still had half an hour before he needed to wake up. Something suddenly dug into his ribs. Angeal squeaked slightly and clamped a hand over his mouth. Genesis had started to nuzzle his face into Angeal's side. The younger of the two shook his head, Genesis really had to get back to sleeping in his own bed.

Angeal slid away from Genesis and out of bed. He opened the door to the hall for a moment, a pair of Cadet uniforms lay neatly folded onto the doorstep. Angeal pulled them both inside and set one of Genesis' bed for him. Angeal stepped into the shower and cleaned himself off. He wrapped his hands around the sink and glared at the stubble on his chin. He sighed and shaved it off. He could grow it back later, for now he wanted to make a good impression. He stepped out of the shower and checked that Genesis was still asleep. He pulled off his towel and started to get dressed.

Genesis meanwhile cracked open one eye and watched Angeal curiously. He waited until Angeal started to mess with his collar to wake up. Genesis made sure to make a spectacle of getting out of bed so his friend wouldn't be suspicious. "Good morning Angy," he yawned dramatically.

"Morning G, if it's alright with you I'm planning on going down to breakfast." Angeal asked as he continued to try and get his collar tucked in.

"Aww come on, it'll take five minutes! Let me go with you!" Genesis shouted and flew into the bathroom. True to his word, five minutes later Genesis joined Angeal in the effort of to put up the collar correctly. They both gave up and headed out for breakfast. The hallways stood dark and deserted as they walked down two flights of stairs and towards the double doors.

They stopped short hearing a voice further down the hall.

"I'm completely disgusted with your performance yesterday, Sephiroth. You should have easily finished ahead of everyone else."

"I'm sorry Professor…" The pair heard Sephiroth's voice.

They winced as they heard a smacking noise, "no excuses, now go."

"Yes sir…" Sephiroth's voice whispered.

A few moments later Sephiroth emerged from the hallway with a red mark on his face, a pair of milky white eyelids flicked over his eyes. Angeal walked forward to meet him, "Seph, you okay?"

"Don't talk to me," Sephiroth muttered.

Angeal stepped in front of him and put his hands on the taller boy's shoulders. "Seph, tell us what's going on."

"No," he grunted and shoved Angeal back. He spun on his heel and stormed into the dining hall.

Angeal shook his head as Genesis put an arm around him, "always the peacemaker eh Angy."

"Shut up G," he muttered.

"Well fortunately for you I just got an idea." Genesis smiled.

"That's never a good thing," Angeal sighed.

"Aww come on Angy when have I ever led you astray?"

"Well let's see, there was-" Genesis clamped his hand over Angeal's mouth.

"I get the picture. Just follow my lead." The older boy pushed his friend into the dining hall.

"I've got a bad feeling about this." Angeal sighed.

Genesis and Angeal took up a plate of waffles and a Stupid Apple apiece. They noticed Sephiroth over in a corner, isolated without anything to eat. Angeal picked up a second tray of food. Together they walked over to Sephiroth. Genesis licked his lips as he watched Sephiroth sitting there. They sat down on either side of their friend, he started to stand up at their arrival but both forced him back down.

"What do you want?" He mumbled.

"Eat." Angeal ordered as he slid the second trey in front of Sephiroth.

"No thank you, I ate earlier." Unfortunately his stomach betrayed him.

"Chocoshit," Genesis snapped as he grabbed a fork. He scooped up a bite of hash browns and shoved it in Sephiroth's mouth.

"Mrrmffrm!" Sephiroth protested.

Angeal sighed, "Genesis leave him alone."

Sephiroth swallowed the bite, stole the fork and proceeded to shovel food down his mouth. Angeal smiled slightly and proceeded to eat. Soon Niven had crutched his way over to them and they had all started to have a normal breakfast. Genesis shook his head, "Ifrit Angeal, do you need to eat so slowly?"

He sighed, "I actually like to taste what it is I'm eating."

The group laughed for a moment while Angeal cleared his plate, he picked up his Stupid Apple and bit into it. He sighed, "nowhere near as good as back home."

Genesis nodded and offered up his fist. "Amen to that."

They cleared off the table and slowly meandered towards the training hall for class. Niven was exempt from the physical class until he recovered, so Angeal, Genesis, and Sephiroth took up a position around a large square. Several other Cadets had milled around it. Soon after the remainder of the class had arrived and filled in around the room. The clamor of chatter consumed the room until a set of doors on the far side opened up to reveal a group of SOLDIERs stepping through it. The Cadets fell hush in an instant. Major Kat moved through the gap in the group and onto the ring.

"Alright tadpoles! Listen up! Today we'll be dividing you into your training classes. In the left pocket of your uniforms you'll find a slip of paper! Gather with those who have the same number on their paper!" Another clamor rang through the group as they moved to their assigned groups. Angeal stood in Group 3 while Sephiroth had moved with Group 5 and Genesis joined Group 9. Major Kat glanced down at a schedule, "these groups aren't finalized. Today you'll go through the basic rotations of classes, from there we'll determine your final placement." She double-checked her assignments. "Groups 1 and 2, you'll be starting in here with Lieutenant Wallace on combat training. Groups 3 and 4, you'll be in the field with Lt. McIntyre starting on orienteering. Groups 5 and 6 will be with Lt. Dakaskos in the Weapons Lab. Groups 7 through 9 are with me, we're in the chocobo paddocks. Move out!"

"Yes ma'am!" The group shouted.

Angeal watched a dismayed Sephiroth head off for the Weapons Lab, and then he spotted Genesis also gazing at Sephiroth. He sighed and followed his group to the field where yesterday's fitness exam took place. Lieutenant McIntyre stopped the group of twenty Cadets as they reached the field. "Welcome to your first field class. Before we begin, I'm Lieutenant Gavin McIntyre, I'm from Junon and my favorite Blitzball team is the Junon Seekers."

Angeal saluted, "pleasure to meet you, sir."

Gavin smiled, "thank you. Now to business. Who can tell me the five most important SOLDIER skills?"

One of the boys in the front raised his hand, "survival, mako enhancement, a sword, materia use, and kicking lots of ass!"

The group chortled at the answer. "Not quite, but I like the enthusiasm. The five most important SOLDIER skills are: logic, timing, pride, dreams, and the ability not to get lost."

The group chuckled again. Gavin frowned, "I'm serious, how is it you expect to find your enemy when you have no idea where _you_ are." He held up a set of compasses, "now I want you to divide up in threes and fours. One person from your group will come to me and collect a compass and a map. Your goal today is to plot out a course leading from here to the location marked on your map. From there you will retrieve the item I've left there and then you will return to this location. I can safely assure you that just following your blind instinct will get you lost in no time. Move out!"

"Yes sir!"

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Angeal smiled as he wandered over to a grim Sephiroth in the dining hall, "hey Seph!"

"Hello…" the sulky boy muttered.

Angeal set a trey in front of him then glanced around, oddly Sephiroth was the only one from his group to be in the room. "You okay Seph?"

"Fine…" he mumbled.

Angeal sighed and pushed the trey closer, "eat. You'll feel better." Sephiroth picked up the sandwich and glared at it for a moment, then slowly started to eat it. Angeal smiled, "are you always this unreasonable? Or do you need to be told what to do in order to do it?"

Sephiroth glared at him, "shut up."

"Fine, sorry," Angeal's face fell.

They ate in silence for a moment before both of them wretched. They saw the groups assigned to the chocobo paddocks enter the room, smeared with mud and chocobo dung. Genesis had lockjaw as he approached the table. Angeal and Sephiroth plugged their noses as the stench became more potent.

"Do… you know… what that… that… _ungoddessly bitch_… made us do?" The grimy Cadet sat down.

"What?" Sephiroth posed the question Angeal was afraid to ask.

"She made us muck out the stables. _All off them_."

Angeal swallowed, if they way his friend smelled was any indication he considered sleeping in Sephiroth or Niven's room for the next few days. Genesis glared at both of them, "fine, I'll go take a shower." He grumbled and stood up, carrying his lunch from the room.

Angeal laughed before he pulled out a letter from his mother and quietly began to read about the goings on back home in Banora.

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Back several hundred leagues away--on the island of Mideel--there was a certain amount of seismic activity. Two of the Shin-Ra scientists that had moved to observe the quake had descended to a natural cave to observe it. The two scientists passed by several headstones with various epigraphs of an old piece of poetry called Loveless. The two scientists approached a crack leading to a mako pillar radiating red and black energy.

"This seems to be the source of the quake," Jacob Morgan pulled off his safety helmet so he could better examine the reading on his handheld device.

"But this is a pillar of mako how could it be the source?" Darcia Morgan also pulled off her helmet.

"I don't know."

"I think we should take some samples of the pillar for examination."

Jacob started to examine a set of the crystals by the pillar. Meanwhile Darcia wandered over to one of the Loveless plates. "When the war of the Beasts brings about World's End. The Goddess descends from the sky. Wings of light and dark spread afar, She guides us to bliss, her everlasting gift." She walked around it and touched the plate while she moved the dust. "Battle not with monsters, lest ye become a monster. And if you gaze into the abyss, the abyss gazes into you. I am the abyss; you will be lost in the dark. You will be lost inside me?"

At that moment the pillar shattered open and a fissure opened up in the cavern. Jacob flew back and slammed into a wall a few feet away from Darcia. She started to go to him but the ground gave way under her feet. She screamed, "Jacob!"

He dashed for her, his hand groped for hers, "hold on!"

Darcia scrambled for Jacob's hand, "Jacob!" She started to fall into the Lifestream below.

"Darcia! No!" He shouted over the roar of the earthquake. He watched her disappear into the sea of mako below and slumped to his knees. "No… sweet Odin… no…" Tears streamed down his face. He stood up and ran out of the collapsing cavern. His only chance to save her was to get to the university in Mideel.

Darcia fell down into the swirling mass of ethereal green. A swirling trail of red flowed towards her, flying for her stomach. She writhed around as this intruder entered into her body. But that was not this entity's destination. No the adult was much too developed to do anything with, but the baby… The baby could still be used. The entity passed into the tiny form settling in, the consciousness reached out to that of its new body.

A series of sparks formed into two distinct shapes. One was the form of what could only be a demon. Two black, feathered wings sprouted from the back. The left side of the monster's face seemed encased by a red and black organic mask that closely resembled part of a skull. Spikes jutted out of the back over the red spikes of hair. The demon's body shone with a reddish orange glow. Three long trains of elliptical figures formed from the lowest spikes of hair and reached to the floor. The other figure was a tiny baby with blue eyes and black hair. Her child. The baby reached out and tugged on the hair of the demon.

The mysterious fiend laughed, "_**(Stop it kiddo that tickles!)**_" The baby floated forward and hugged the demon around the neck, "_**(Aww kiddo, hmmm. You need a name don't you? But this one thinks it's her job.)**_" The demon glanced over at Darcia.

The woman's eyes had gone wide, her child, her only child, had gone to this demon. Rather than her very mother, her child--no _that_ child--had gone to the demon. A nervous smile broke out across her face, "that thing… no you're not my child… you and that thing… you can go die! YOU DEMON! YOU STOLE MY CHLD! NO THAT CHILD ISN'T MINE! IT NEVER WAS!" She closed her eyes. She didn't want to see this. She didn't want to see that thing or that child ever again.

When she opened her eyes she felt her right hand warm. "Huh?"

Jacob's relieved face filled her vision. "Hey there."

"Huh?" She muttered again.

"It's me, Jacob," he pleaded slightly. "You remember me?"

"Jacob…" she squeezed his hand tightly.

"How do you feel?"

"I…" she stopped and remembered the baby. "I… I'm going to give birth to a demon…"

Jacob paled. His head bowed and he prayed silently to the Goddess that this was just the mako poisoning talking.


End file.
